Pressure cooker



1937- 1.. 1.. LUDINGTON 2,102,962 PRESSURE COOKER 7 Filed Nov. 5, 1934 I 20 =zi C 25 i3 56V? X6 21 51 v i 21 -45 Z1 R' o 0 3 4 5:22 0. 55 27 A 1 55 3535 15 R 6 2A 6 INVENTOR I l a wrencel ludzugtpn,

ATTORNEYS size, and

5 21. The skirt flange Patented Dec; 21,1937

PATENT OFFICE 1 PRESSURE COOKER Lawrence L. Mnncie, Ind, assignor to Bali Brother-l Company, Muncie, Ind, a cor poration of Indiana Application November 3, 1934, Serial No. 751,271

The object of my invention is to provide an improved closure for cooking utensils of that type commonly referred to as "pressure" cookers, of such character as to be readily handled and manipulated by the average housewife, without danger of being burned, and of such character that a pressure tight relation with the containing vessel may be readily established and as readily disestablished.

The accompanying drawing'illustrates my in- 10 vention.

Fig. 1 is a plan of my improved closure;-

Fig. 2 a side elevation, in partial vertical section, of a cooking utensil equipped with my improved closure; p

Fig. 3 a diametrical section of the prima ring;

Fig. 4 a fragmentary side elevation of the upper end of the container;

Fig. 5 a fragmentary radial section, about full Fig. 6 a section on line 6-5 of Fig. 5.

Inthe drawing Iii indicates a receptacle provided at its upper open end with an external circumferential flange H and a circumferential.

series 'of outwardly-projecting circumferentiallyspaced anchor lugs l2. The upper end of the circumferential wall of receptacle i0 is provided with a pocket l3 at the inner edge of which is a circular upwardly-presented ridge l4 the upper surface of which is accurately machined and preferably slightly rounded as indicated at IS' (Fig.7).

My improved closure comprises a primary ring R, a secondary ring R and a sheet metal cover C.

provided with a circumferential series of internal 23. Ring R at its lower end is provided with a downwardly-projecting circular ridge 32.

' The cover-C, preferably formed of sheet metal of comparatively light gauge is conveniently cir- '1 cular in plan, the pocket i 3 being annular. This The primary ring It comprises a radial flange 23 having diametrically opposed ears 2i each provided with external threads 33 mating with threads 23 of ring R and is also cover is preferably upwardly-domed at its center, as indicated at 33 and is provided with a depending skirt 34 which is provided at its lower end with an inwardly-projecting flange 35 axially spaced from the surmounting portion of the cover. Preferably the spacing of flange 35 from the surmounting portionof the cover should be a little more than the thickness of an average index finger of a human hand in order to facilitate cleaning, and the gauge of that portion of the cover forming the flang 35, skirt 34 and the cover 1 greater than the distance from the upper sur-,

face of that portion of cover 0 adjacent its perimeter and the lower ends 'of anchor lugs II,

the assembled ring structure is laid upon cover C,

anchor lugs- 24 passing downwardly between anchor lugs l2. Ring R is then rotated to bring anchor lugs 24 beneath anchor lugs l2, this rotative movement being preferably limited by a stop pin 40 (Fig. 4) so positioned, as'indicated in Fig. 4, that rotation of ring R. in one direction to contact a lug 24 with pin 40 will position lugs, 24 beneath lugs i 2, while rotation in the opposite direction will position the lugs properly to permit axial separation of the ring structure from the container. Thereupon, pinions 23 are rotated, by manipulation of handles 21, to cause the primary ring R to move upwardly to bring the u per ends 'of lugs 24 into engagement with. the 10 ends of lugs l2, thereby pressing flange 35 upon rib l4.

Upon the, accumulation of vapor pressure within the container, said pressure acting equally in opposite directions relativelyv upon the upper face of flange 35 and the under face of that portion of the cover surmounting said flange. insures a pressure-tight seating of flange 35 upon rib |4. The said vapor pressure acting upon the central portion of the cover cantilevers, the

perimeter of the cover upon rib 32 to further assist in insuring a tight seating of flange 35 upon rib l4. As a consequence it is not necessary for 0 gear teeth 3| meshing with the teeth of pinions the operator in manipulating handles 21 to seat the anchor lugs 24 very tightly'against the anchor lugs i2. a

After the cooking operation has been performed reverse manipulation of handles 2| will turn ring R within ring rib 32 sliding upon cover C, until the frictional resistance between lugs 24 and lugs I2 is eliminated, whereupon further manipulation of handles 21 in reverse direction will cause ring R to turn upon ring R, the frictional resistance between the threads 29 and 30 being less than the frictional resistance of rib 32 upon cover C, so that lugs 24 will be swung from beneath lugs [2 until one of the lugs 24 contacts with stop pin 40 at which time the lugs 24 are in such positive relation to lugs l2 that the ring structure RR may be lifted from the standard l0.

For economy in fabrication pocket l3 and rib l5 should be circular and the upper faces of lugs 24 should be all in the same plane and the lower faces of lugs l2 should likewise be in one plane.

' This is possible because rotation of ring R relative to container I0 is not depended upon to exert any clamping action upon the cover C.

Cover C will be equipped with the usual handle 45, safety valve 46 and temperature or pressure indicator 4! which form a part of my present cover mating with said seat, and a removable cover retainer comprising, (1) a primary ring having anchor lugs mateable with.- the anchor lugs of the container and a threaded portion, and (2) a secondary ring having threads mating with the aforesaid threads, an annular series of gear teeth, and a portion restable upon the cover,

a shaft journaled in the primary ring, a pinion carried by said shaft and meshing with said annular series of gear teeth and a manipulating handle carried by said shaft.

2. The combination with a container having a cover seat at its open end and anchor lugs, a cover mating with said seat, and a removable cover retainer comprising, (1) a primary ring having anchor lugs mateable with the anchor lugs of the container, and a threaded portion, and (2) a secondary ring having threads mating with the aforesaid threads and a portion restable upon the cover.

3. The combination with a container having a cover seat at its open end and anchor lugs, a cover mating with said seat, and a removable cover retainer comprising, (1) a primary ring having anchor lugs mateable with the anchor lugs of the container, and a threaded portion, and

(2) a secondary ring having threads mating with the aforesaid threads and a portion restable upon the cover, and means operative between the two rings to cause relative angular movement thereof.

LAWRENCE L. LUDINGTON. 

